Julius Ceasar by The New Shakespearience
Strategizing with Shakespeare
Would you like to reconsider the plot of Shakespeare’s tragic history piece Julius Caesar with Robert Downing, an experienced union organizer? In his adaptation and performance of this classical text, Downing shares useful insights about the backfiring plots of the old organizing business, with exemplary data from the apparently-not-so-well-plotted assassin of Julius Caesar by his comrades.
Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, on the assassination of Rome’s Julius Caesar before the dawn of the Roman Empire, at times serves as a TED Talk theme on the prospects of organizing business, and at times the stand-uppish lecture highlights the themes in the classical play and brings a fresh, enjoyable perspective like no other production. The audience, relaxed in the micro black box setting of the Eclectic Theatre willingly accepts a crash course on joining in the performance. Giving the benefit of doubt to the lectures in the beginning and end of the performance, I definitely think that using tiny bits of the text to devise a lecture on the art of organizing, and performing dialogues and soliloquies in cross reference to the lecture eventually serves the performance of Julius Caesar in a unique fashion.
The small stage of the Eclectic Theatre is barely filled with a large board for displaying facts about the plotting/organizing business, about who is who in the play as Downing recites them, and for instructing the audience when it’s their turn to join in.
With Christianne Benedict’s poster art, Kelly Poland’s program design and Ian Gilman’s video editing, a one man show, Julius Caesar by The New Shakespearience makes this classical play quite relevant to our day. Although it is possible to wonder at times what union organizing ultimately has to do with it, just wait and you will find out and have fun, too!
Julius Caesar, produced by The New Shakespearience, adapted form William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, runs through April 4th, only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm at Eclectic Theatre at Capitol Hill. The Eclectic Lounge opens at 7 pm., “drinking before, during and after the show is encouraged!” Approximately 100 minutes run time, no intermission. For tickets, visit www.thenewshakespearience.com (First 5 walk-ups receive FREE admission every night). Eclectic Theatre is located at 1214 10th Ave Seattle, WA, 98122. phone: 206-679-3271.